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tragedy in connecticut

Pastors ease broken hearts

Faith leaders talk of God’s presence, sharing in suffering

View SlideshowRequest to buy this photoBROOKE LaVALLEY Mark Williams, director of Christian education, leads children in prayer at the 11 a.m. service at First Congregational Church Downtown. The Rev. Tim Ahrens dedicated his sermon to the victims in Connecticut, reading the names and ages of all 20 children and six adults killed.

Deborah Thompson went to church Downtown yesterday with a list of the victims’ names from Friday’s tragic shootings in Connecticut.

She wanted to have their names for her prayers during the service at First Congregational Church. She considered sharing them with the Rev. Tim Ahrens for his sermon, but that wasn’t necessary.

Ahrens dedicated his sermon to the 20 children and six adults gunned down at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. He read the names and ages of all the victims, which evoked tears from Thompson and others in attendance.

“We were all saying those names in our mind ever since we heard, and keeping them in our hearts and prayers,” said Thompson, who attended the 11 a.m. service with her daughters, Alaina, 9, and Caroline, 5. Hearing the names “was the most-powerful part.”

Throughout central Ohio yesterday, priests and ministers offered words of comfort and gave worshippers a chance to grieve and pray for the victims and their families.

“I try not to offer cheap, glib answers for great evil,” said Senior Pastor Rich Nath-an of Vineyard Columbus church. “I speak about a God who understands suffering.”

He told the hundreds at the 9 a.m. service of a God who mourned the death of his son, Jesus.

Nathan also spoke of the loss in Bethlehem after Jesus’ birth, when King Herod ordered the deaths of baby boys for fear that one would usurp his throne.

“At this time of year, we are aware of both darkness and light,” Nathan said. “This is a time of darkness. ... Hearts are broken today.”

The Rev. James Klima, pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Pickerington, reminded those at the 8 a.m. Mass that “God is always with us.”

With “what our country is going through right now, we might think that God has abandoned us,” Klima said. “He has not.”

Even in tragedy, “we can rejoice because God is with us ... in our struggles, our difficulties, our sorrows ... all the moments of our lives. We can rejoice because of that.”

Ahrens spoke of joy — the joy that was lost by the victims’ tragic deaths, and the joy that finds those who enter God’s kingdom.

He quoted Jesus’ final sermon to his disciples as he was facing death on the cross: “So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and our hearts will rejoice and no one, no one, can take our joy from us.”

Ahrens also laid out a call to action, urging people to stand up for gun control.

“We may not like to hear that, but we know it’s time,” he said. “Today, it is a time to mourn. But it also is time to lead.”

Ahrens’ words expressed Thompson’s feelings, she said. “All of our hearts are breaking over this,” she said. “I don’t understand why there aren’t more restrictions on the guns.”

Lisa Barrett took comfort in Nathan’s words, particularly his message about acceptance in the wake of a tragedy.

“If people continue to question why this happened... it can drive someone crazy not knowing why,” she said.

“You just have to lean on God and (know) that he knows what he’s doing and trust that he will use this for good.”